Chocolate (Scroll Down)

MANY PET OWNERS DO NOT REALISE THAT CHOCOLATE IS HIGHLY TOXIC TO DOGS!!

Chocolate contains Theobromine , a naturally occurring stimulant found in the cocoa bean, which affects the central nervous system as well as the heart muscle.

Christmas is a peak time for potential poisonings because dogs steal chocolate ornaments from the tree, wolf down boxes of the treats or are fed by unsuspecting owners.

Humans, and cats, have the metabolism to cope with Theo bromine but dogs' digestive systems-cannot. Symptoms include hyperactivity, agitation, breathlessness, vomiting, diarrhoea and increased urination.

The danger to the dog depends on its size and the type of chocolate.
Darker and more expensive chocolate contains higher levels of Theo bromine  - the lethal dosage is between 250 and 500 milligrammes per kilogramme of body weight.

Ounce for ounce, baking chocolate has six to nine times as much of the substance as milk chocolate does.

Estimates of the smallest amounts that can be fatal are:
4 ounces of milk chocolate or 1/2 ounce of baking chocolate for small dogs, such as Chihuahuas and toy poodles.
8 ounces of milk chocolate or 2 ounces of baking chocolate for medium-sized dogs, like cocker spaniels and dachshunds.
8 ounces of milk chocolate or 4 ounces of baking chocolate for large dogs, including collies and Labrador retrievers.

Serious non-fatal poisonings have been reported in dogs after eating smaller amounts.
Cats have much different eating habits and seldom are poisoned by chocolate.

While a very small amount of chocolate may not cause life threatening harm some dogs, it's safest to avoid giving it to them at all. If an accident occurs, a vet should be consulted urgently. Treatment may require inducing vomiting, stabilizing the animal's heartbeat and respiration, controlling seizures and slowing the absorption of Theobromine. If the animal already is comatose, its stomach may need to be pumped.

Theobromine does not completely leave the dogs system, as do some foods, it is believed that Theobromine  has a half life of 17.5 hours. This means that half of it has gone in 17.5 hours; in 35 hours another half of the half that was remaining will have gone. It never completely leaves the dogs system
 
 

Dangers include chocolate decorations and edible presents wrapped under the tree, there are always more cases of this over Christmas and Easter

If you know your dog has eaten chocolates don't wait for the symptoms to develop. Take them to the vet immediately.

Deaths due to Theo bromine  have also been documented in horses.